Apparatus for applying decorative strips to sheet material



1938. A. E. COLLINS APPARATUS FOR APPLYING DECORATIVE STRIFS T0 SHEET MATERIAL v Filed Jan. 6, 1936 Patented Nov. 1, 1938 APPARATUS FOR APPLYING nEo-onATivE STRIPS T SHEET MATERIAL ArthurE. Collins, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, assignor to The BF. Goodrich Company, New N. Y., a corporation ofNew York York,

Application January 6, 1936, Serial No. 57,728

6 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for applying decorative strips to sheet material, for example sheet rubber.

In the manufacture of articles of sheet rubber, such as bathing caps, bathing suits, and the like, it is desirable to trim the articles with decorative borders. This may be accomplished most satisfactorily by applying to the sheet material design elements of sheet rubber of a contrasting color.

The principal objects of this invention are to provide efiiciency and economy in the production of complicated design and to provide accuracy of pattern.

Other objects will appear from the following description and the accompanying drawing.

Of the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a preferred form of the invention with the work in place therein, parts of the work being broken away.

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of the same taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral 10 designates a base plate upon which are mounted a pair of vertically slotted housings ll, [2 for rotatably supporting a pair of squeeze rolls I3, l4. The lower roll 13 is mounted in boxes l5, I6 which rest in the slotted housings. The roll I4 is likewise rotatably mounted in boxes 11, I8 slidably mounted in the same slots. Pressure screws [9, 20 are threaded through caps 21, 22, fixed to the housings, and bear against the boxes 11, I8 to exert pressure between the rolls. Rolls l3, 14 have pinions 23, 24 fixed thereto and meshing with each other. A gear 25 is also fixed to roll l3 and meshes with a pinion 25a driven by any convenient source of power, not shown, the arrangement being such that the rolls are driven in unison. 7

For supporting the sheet material to be decorated, a shaft 26 is mounted in suitable hearings on the housings ll, l2 and supports a roll 2! of sheet material 28. The leading end of the sheet is passed between rolls 13, I4 and may then be carried from. the device by a conveyor belt 29 which passes around an idle roll 38' journaled in housings ll, I2.

The strips of decorating material 3|, 32, 33, 34, which are of unvulcanized sheet rubber similar to the material of sheet 28 but contrasting in color thereto, are provided in coils 35, 3'6 supported on rods 31, 38 in convenient relation to the machine.

To provide for determinate guiding of the strips to form an ornamental design, a cam shaft 40 is rotatably mounted in pedestals 4|, 42 fixed to the base plate l0 and is driven by a sprocket 43 fixed to roll 13 through a chain 44 and a sprocket 45 fixed to shaft 40. The sprockets may be removed and replaced by others to drive the cam shaft at different ratios to the squeeze rolls. One or more cams 46, 41 are fixed to the cam shaft. An equal number of arms, in the machine illustrated two 48, 49, are pivotally mounted on studs 50, adjustably mounted in slots 52, 53, in a support 54 fixed to base plate 10. A roller 55 or 56 is mounted on a stud 51 or 58, adjustably mounted in a slot 59 or 60, in either arm 48 or 49, so as to bear against the cams. Suitable resilient means, such ascoil spring 6|, having the ends attached to the arms 48, 49, is provided to hold the rollers against the cams. The arms are preferably placed at different elevations so as to pass each other during their movements. Each arm is provided with a guide 62 or 63 at the free end to guide one or more rubber strips. The arrangement is such that each arm and its strip guide is guided back and forth near the bite of the rolls so that the strip or strips guided thereby will enter the bite of the rolls and be laid on the sheet 28 in a sinuous path. Due to the independent movements of the guides and the placing of the arms at different elevations the paths of the strips may overlap or cross each other to form. pleasing designs.

The rolls l3, [4 pinch the strips against the sheet 28 with sufficient force to permanently unite the strips and the sheets. To aid in this pinching action, one of the rolls may be knurled or milled to provide raised points or edges to locally pinch the rubber together. By adjusting the cam rollers and the arms supporting them, the throw of the arms on their pivots may be altered.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for applying decorative strips of sheet material, said apparatus comprising a pair of pinch rolls, means for guiding a sheet and a plurality of strips of rubber superimposed thereon through the bite of said rolls, and means for automatically and independently shifting the path of each strip with relation to that of the sheet as the sheet and strips are drawn through the rolls.

2. Apparatus for applying decorative strips to a sheet of material, said apparatus comprising a pair of pinch rolls, means for feeding a sheet of material through the rolls, and means for feeding a plurality of strips of rubber into superimposed relation to the sheet as the sheet enters the bite of the rolls, said last named feeding means ineluding means for laying the strips on the sheet in-sinuous paths and in superimposed relation to each other.

3. Apparatus for applying decorative strips to a sheet of material, said apparatus comprising a pair of pinch rolls, means for feeding a sheet of material through the rolls, and means for feed- 7 ing a'plurality of strips of rubber into superimposed relation to the sheet as the sheet enters the bite of the rolls, said last named feeding 7 means including means for laying the strips on for guiding a sheet and a plurality of strips of rubber into superimposed relation, and means for automatically and independently shifting the path of each strip with relation to that of the sheet.

5. Apparatus for applying decorative strips to q a sheet of material, said apparatus comprising means for feeding a sheet of material and a plurality of decorative strips into superimposed relation, the strip feeding means including means for laying the strips on the sheet in sinuous paths and in superimposed relation to each other.

6. Apparatus for applying decorative strips to a sheet of material, said apparatus comprising means for feeding a sheet of material and a plurality of strips of rubber into superimposed rela 'tion, the strip feeding means including means for laying the strips on the sheet in paths crossing each other.

' ARTHUR E. COLLINS. 

